Mahabharata · 1.180.7–8
॥
Devanāgarī
अथ वा यदि कन्येयं नेह कं चिद् बुभूषति ॥
अग्नाव् एनां परिक्षिप्य याम राष्ट्राणि पार्थिवाः ॥
ब्राह्मणो यदि वा बाल्याल् लोभाद् वा कृतवान् इदम् ॥
विप्रियं पार्थिवेन्द्राणां नैष वध्यः कथं चन ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
atha vā yadi kanyeyaṃ neha kaṃ cid bubhūṣati ||
agnāv enāṃ parikṣipya yāma rāṣṭrāṇi pārthivāḥ ||
brāhmaṇo yadi vā bālyāl lobhād vā kṛtavān idam ||
vipriyaṃ pārthivendrāṇāṃ naiṣa vadhyaḥ kathaṃ cana ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अथ वा यदि कन्या इयं न इह कं चित् बुभूषतिatha vā yadi kanyā iyaṃ na iha kaṃ cit bubhūṣati"or else, if this maiden here desires no one,
अग्नाव् एनां परिक्षिप्य याम राष्ट्राणि पार्थिवाःagnāv enāṃ parikṣipya yāma rāṣṭrāṇi pārthivāḥlet us cast her into the fire and disperse to our own kingdoms, o kings;
ब्राह्मणः यदि वा बाल्यात् लोभात् वा कृतवान् इदम्brāhmaṇaḥ yadi vā bālyāt lobhāt vā kṛtavān idambut if the brahmin, out of childishness or greed, has done this,
विप्रियं पार्थिवेन्द्राणां न एषः वध्यः कथं चनvipriyaṃ pārthivendrāṇāṃ na eṣaḥ vadhyaḥ kathaṃ canadispleasing to the lords of kings -- then he is by no means to be slain;
कन्येयंkanyeyaṃoriginal form "kanyeyaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नेहnehaoriginal form "neha", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चिद्cidoriginal form "cid", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ब्राह्मणोbrāhmaṇooriginal form "brāhmaṇo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
बाल्याल्bālyāloriginal form "bālyāl", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
लोभाद्lobhādoriginal form "lobhād", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नैषnaiṣaoriginal form "naiṣa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"Or else, if this maiden here desires no one, let us cast her into the fire and disperse to our own kingdoms, o kings. But if the brahmin, out of childishness or greed, has done this thing displeasing to the lords of kings -- he is by no means to be slain."
Version
0d7a0248d3aa · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:37:23 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the cruelty of pride bares itself -- and in the same breath spares the brahmin. Telling is the contradiction: the enraged are ready to burn an innocent maiden, yet dare not kill the brahmin; they cower before what is sacred while raising their hand against the weak. Here the perversity of anger is exposed: it does not discern truth, punishing the innocent while sparing the [supposedly] guilty out of fear of sin. So the text shows how unjust fury is; and the readiness to destroy the maiden measures the blindness of wounded pride.